Stefan Van Damme
Stefan Van Damme is a Belgian Formula One driver, who races for Lotus. Hired by the team to step in after Alexander Wilson passed away in the Monaco Grand Prix, Van Damme quickly got to terms with the car and won the first two races of his career. He went on to win the 1972 Formula One Championship, despite having missed the first three races. Early Years Stefan Van Damme was born on 5th July 1951 in the small town of Malmedy. He grew up on the family farm just outside out the town. During WW2, the area was re-incorporated into Germany and Stefan's father was a part of a local resistance group against the Nazis. Racing Career Stefan would learn how to drive on the country roads around his family farm and he often took part in fun races with friends in whatever cars they could find or 'borrow', often to the disapproval of the local police. Van Damme began his official racing career in touring cars, before being invited to race for Porsche in the 1000km of Spa-Francorchamps at his local track. Despite promising pace, the engine failed on lap 59. He continued as a driver for Porsche before being called to race for Lotus in Formula One. Lotus (1972 - ) 1972 With the unexpected death of four-time champion Alexander Wilson at the 1972 Monaco Grand Prix, Lotus quickly tried to find a replacement driver. The team initially hired Van Damme on a temporary contract until the could find a permanent replacement, but Van Damme's pace in the car impressed Colin Chapman enough for him to offer the Belgian driver a permanent seat in the team. Having only tested the Lotus 72D for a few days, Van Damme debuted at the Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder. He started the race from pole position and held off Jesse Masters to win his home race in his first race for Lotus. In the next race at Brand's Hatch, Van Damme's engine failed during qualifying and he was forced to start from the back of the grid. After a lightning start he clawed his way up the pack before overtaking his teammate Gunnar Olander on the last lap to win his second race in a row. Van Damme's form would continue through the rest of the 1972 season, finishing on the podium in every race and taking a further two wins at the Austrian and United States Grands Prix. He won the championship at the final race of the season after his nearest rival, Alex Robin Plunkett, was unable to attend the final two races of the season. 1973 After an incredible debut season in Formula One, Van Damme's 1973 season was plagued by reliability problems. Despite this, he would win two races and finish 4th in the championship. 1974 Van Damme's luck would improve for 1974 and he finished in 2nd in the championship, taking three wins throughout the season. McLaren's Jesse Masters would dominate the season in the superior M23 and this would be McLaren's first championship win. 1975 Due to his speed and feedback, Van Damme was hired by several teams before the season to test and finetune their cars. He started off the season well, achieving a grand-slam in the Argentine Grand Prix and another win at the South African Grand Prix. After taking pole at the Spanish Grand Prix, he finished second in the race to Mick Ashcroft, who had been hired by Ferrari after scoring podiums in the first two races, despite driving for Embassy-Hill. Ashcroft experienced a gearbox problem as the two drivers started the final lap and in a sign of sportsmanship, Van Damme let the Australian driver win the race. Ashcroft quickly emerged as Van Damme's main rival during the 1975 season. Personal Life Van Damme's successful Formula One debut and several sponsorships meant that he could live a lavish lifestyle and he moved to live in Monte Carlo late in 1972. In the paddock he was known to be a heavy drinker and eater, with fellow driver Maria Parker remarking: "Sometimes I didn't see him leave his trackside accomodation for days. He seemed to just depend on wine, waffles, and some other 'food' I couldn't clearly see and I was quite worried for him." By 1975 this lifestyle started to affect Van Damme's racing career and he missed several days of testing with Lotus at Brands Hatch. After a dominant win at the opening round of the 1975 season, Van Damme came under scrutiny for his pace and many drivers, including his ex-teammate Gunnar Olander and Ferrari driver Jorge Fernandez, accused him of using performance-enhancing drugs. Van Damme has strongly denied these rumours. Category:Drivers